It's a Geyman Thing
While growing up with my bothers and my older sister, I can recollect many instances of taking on the cold with no regard. Such as hiking in the mountains through deep snow in sandals or breaking a hole in the ice in order to land in it on the way down the zip line... You know, contacting freezing water hurts a lot more after a 30 foot drop than it normally does.
Perhaps some would regard this as abnormal behaviour, or maybe just a great definition of stupidity. But I like to think of it differently. It was just another way to have great fun! Sometimes this behaviour resulted in ghastly consequences, such as when Isaac ran barefoot through deep snow all the way to the barn and subsequently added a pitchfork to the length of his foot's anatomy. But overall, we all survived and came through with some great memories. Memories forged in ice.
I just barely got out of the way with my camera.
This reminds me of a tradition I had growing up. Every spring when the ice begins to melt, we play games on the ice. The objective is to make everyone else fall in while not falling in yourself. Usually, this comes in the form of follow-the-leader. The rules are simple: if you fall through you move to the back of the line. Whoever is in front has to anticipate how weak the ice actually is. A good leader weakens the ice just enough to avoid falling himself thus placing the followers at a disadvantage of having to go over the weakened ice. As a result, the further back you are in line, the weaker the ice becomes.
For more picture, see Siblings United for a previous post.
Ok, wow! I cannot understand that but to each their own I suppose. How did one of you not lose a toe or soemthing to frostbite? LOL
ReplyDeleteAnd how were you not terrified of going under and not being able to get out again? I'm guessing the water wasn't that deep there?
DeleteHaha! Ya I wonder sometimes how we all made it through without major issues. I guess we kept God busy watching over us :)
DeleteThe water most all the time is over our heads. It takes a certain technique to get out which is easy to learn. Basically spread your weight over as much ice as possible or breaking thin ice until you get to shore or a thicker ice. Knowing this can prove helpful since we did a lot of ice skating. Once I did fall through the ice in the middle of a large lake in the mountains with all my warm clothes on. That was a little scary since I was so far from shore but I was grateful to know how to get back out right away.
OH my. Don't show this video to your little ones, please!! They might try to recreate it and that would not be a good idea. Being from The Frozen NorthEast, I know of people who have lost their lives on thin ice....Just saying. We aren't polar bears! Okay, that said, I understand venturing into the snow barely clothed. It's what the hardy have done since childhood. As an old lady, I often still shovel snow in shirt sleeves or jammies; but not for long periods. Your little fellows look like they are loving the snow back east, and it's obvious that you're keeping a close eye on them. I think Tanzania is tropical, so the boys will have fun memories of their time in the snow...without their pants. haha! Blessings on your heads. Cassie Phillips
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